


brothers don’t let each wander in the dark alone

by GoLBPodfics (GodOfLaundryBaskets), RaineyDay



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, M/M, Mention of Satine/Obi-Wan, Podfic, Podfic Available, Podfic Cover Art, Podfic Length: 45-60 Minutes, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-16 02:58:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18682759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GodOfLaundryBaskets/pseuds/GoLBPodfics, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaineyDay/pseuds/RaineyDay
Summary: Rex was still trying to get over the end of the Clone Wars, when, out of nowhere, a strange device appears, and soon after that, Cody does too. Cody looks just like he did in the midst of the Clone Wars, and he doesn't recognize Rex. Is this really time travel? Or an Empire trick?Ezra wants to trust Cody, but Kanan and Rex warn him to be careful. But Ezra thinks that Cody can save everyone, if they can only figure out how to get this machine to send him back!





	brothers don’t let each wander in the dark alone

**Author's Note:**

> I really enjoyed working on this for Star Wars Big Bang! Thanks for wrennette for the wonderful betaing, and GodofLaundryBaskets for the amazing podfic and cover art!

  


 

 

### Details

  * **Length:** 00:52:07 




### Hosting

  


  * **mp3:** [brothers.mp3 (34 MB)](https://archive.org/download/BrothersDontLetEachOtherWanderInTheDarkAlone/brothers%20don%27t%20let%20each%20other%20wander%20in%20the%20dark%20alone.mp3)
  * **m4b:** [brothers.m4b (37 MB)](https://archive.org/download/BrothersDontLetEachOtherWanderInTheDarkAlone/brothers%20don%27t%20let%20each%20other%20wander%20in%20the%20dark%20alone.m4b)



 

 

Cody woke. He found himself surrounded by armed people. He went to reach for his blaster, but the sudden movement by the armed Lasat assured him that was a bad idea. He wouldn’t get to his weapon before a blaster bolt hit his head.

 

He wasn’t quite sure where he was. One minute, he’d been grabbing a strange device the General had told him to bag, the next he was here. He hadn’t touched the thing bare-handed, hadn't really touched it at all. But here he was. In trouble. Oh, the General was not going to let him live this down, not after Cody had just scolded him for recklessness.

 

“That’s a clone!” A blue-haired human boy exclaimed.

 

“Yeah, I know. Get… ours in here.” A taller human with a piece of fabric over his eyes said.

 

‘Ours’. Our clone? Did this team have a defector? Cody scowled at the thought. It was one thing to leave your brothers to live a peaceful life, and wholly another to abandon them to join a group of armed probably-criminals.

 

The blue-haired boy scurried out of the room, and shortly came back with another man. All Cody could think was that that was no clone.

 

He was old, and old in a way that 99 wasn’t, which made Cody think this wasn’t a clone who had prematurely aged. This was an actual old man. Before Cody could say anything to that effect, the man spoke.

 

“Cody?”

 

“How do you know my name?” Cody demanded. Even with working alongside some of the most famous Generals of the war, Kenobi and Skywalker, he wasn’t that recognizable. Which meant that these people had planned this. “Who are you? What do you want with me?” He wasn’t frightened. No. He was angry. To engineer a plan to take him away from his brothers and his General, at a time when they still needed him, was unthinkable.

 

“It- it’s me, Cody. Your vod. Rex.” The man seemed genuinely hurt that Cody didn’t recognize him, but Cody was just angry.

 

“You’re not Rex.” But now, saying it, the man did look an awful lot like a clone- like Rex in particular- if Rex had gotten old and grown a beard.

 

But now the old man was getting angry too.

 

“You’re wrong. You’re the one who’s pretending to be someone they aren’t. You’re not Cody.”

 

The blasters were still being pointed by the group, preventing Cody from standing. Cody eyed the group and they eyed him back.

 

“Kanan? What’s going on?” The boy finally asked.

 

“I don’t know. Something strange.” The blind man, evidently Kanan, answered. “But stay away from him.”

 

“What’s that thing?” A girl in Mandalorian armor asked, jerking her head to the side, where, Cody saw, the device he’d been trying to bag was floating gently in the air.

 

Kanan paused, and moved a few steps toward the device, keeping a careful eye on Cody. He reached out and focused on the device, in a way that spoke of Force use, a fact that surprised Cody very much. Who were these people?

 

Kanan startled backwards after a moment. 

 

“That thing! It tried to send me- somewhere. Don’t touch it.”

 

“Who are you?” Not-Rex demanded. “Is the Empire behind this?”

 

“What Empire?” Cody asked.

 

“Of course you’d say that. Look, I don’t know what the Empire did to make you, but you’re coming with me.” Cody didn’t see that he had much choice, so he stood.

 

As he rose, General Kenobi’s lightsaber was revealed. Cody had picked it up when the man had dropped it- again- and had yet to get a chance to give it back to him. As Cody was standing, the boy darted underneath him and grabbed it.

 

“Hey!” Cody shouted, suddenly wary and protective. That was his general’s lightsaber, something so very important to him, and no one would take it if Cody could help it. Unfortunately, he couldn’t help it, as the Lasat indicated by jerking his weapon up in a threatening manner.

 

“Ezra!” Kanan shouted.

 

“Look Kanan! It’s a lightsaber!”

 

“Where did you get this?” Kanan demanded.

 

“The General dropped it. I made sure he wasn’t going to lose it.” Cody answered, making sure to name no names. He didn’t need to give these people any more information than they already had. Hopefully, they didn’t know who his General was. If that were the case, maybe only Cody would be in danger. His General always stepped up to save his men when he could, and people knew it. Cody would prefer not to be used as bait, as the reason General Kenobi put himself in danger. He didn’t think he could quite live with himself if the General was hurt because of him.

 

Not-Rex looked confused. Cody felt a smug satisfaction fill him. This couldn’t really be Rex- not if he didn’t know about General Kenobi’s habit of losing his lightsaber. Cody had complained about it to the real Rex too many times for that.

 

“That’s true. General Kenobi was always losing his ‘saber, and Cody was always retrieving it. But how could anyone else know that?” Well there went that hope.

 

Ezra lit the saber, and Cody tensed. The kid was going to kill someone, being so reckless. The blue light shined through the room.

 

“It’s blue.” Ezra spoke, surprised.

 

“The kyber crystal feels like Master Kenobi’s did.” Kanan murmured, thoughtfully.

 

“You don’t think-” Ezra said, excitement in his words.

 

“No. I don’t.” Not-Rex said. “There’s no way this is really Cody.”

 

“But- what else could it be?” Ezra asked.

 

“An Empire trick.”

 

“But he just appeared from nowhere, looking like that, and with a lightsaber that feels like Master Kenobi’s did! How could the Empire make all that happen?” Ezra said.

 

“The Kaminoans could have kept Jango Fett’s data.” Kanan defended not-Rex’s position. “They could have recreated that particular set of armor, and they could have kept Master Kenobi’s lightsaber when they killed him.”

 

“Killed?” Cody demanded. Whoever this Empire was, if there was even a chance that they could have killed his General, Cody needed to find out. “Who leads this Empire?”

 

“Like you don’t know,” Not-Rex scoffed.

 

“I don’t know, Rex, I really think this might be him!” Ezra sounded excited at the possibility. “Why would the Empire go to all that trouble just to find us? Maybe for Mon Mothma, or Bail Organa or someone, but not us. And if they really did have some device that could transport people places, I think they’d use it for something really important.”

 

“Ezra’s got a point.” The Mandalorian girl said. “That would be a lot of effort to take one ship.”

 

“That’s true. But we can’t take any chances with something like this. Something weird is going on, either way, and we need to figure out what,” Kanan said.

 

“Wait. Kanan. Didn’t you say once that all clones feel different in the Force?” Ezra asked.

 

“Yes. But I never met Cody before the war ended, so I can’t be sure, even using the Force.”

 

“What if I could get someone who did meet Cody before the war ended?” Ezra asked, a strange look on his face.

 

“Who exactly are you thinking of?” The girl asked. “Ahsoka’s gone, Kenobi is dead, and if Skywalker’s still around, no one knows about it.”

 

“Wait, what are you talking about?” Cody demanded. “Before the war ended? The war is not over, trust me.”

 

They couldn’t be serious. Time travel wasn’t possible. But, Cody thought, it would explain how someone claiming to be Rex could be so much older. No, no, that was insane. They couldn’t be right. The group ignored him as Ezra spoke again.

 

“Yeah, about that. Master Kenobi may not be dead after all. And I may know where he is.”

 

“Ezra, is this about what happened with Maul? Bail Organa said…”

 

“I know what he said. But I also know that I met Master Kenobi. He saved me from Maul.”

 

“Why didn’t you say something earlier, Ezra?” Not-Rex said.

 

“He didn’t seem to want anyone to know where he was. And my mistake brought Maul to his door. I didn’t want to bring the Empire too. But he could tell, right? If that was really the real Cody?”

 

“He would be able to tell us, one way or the other.” Kanan agreed, reluctantly. “No clone is exactly the same in the Force. Where is he, Ezra?”

 

“Tatooine,” Ezra said. “I’ll go tell Hera!”

 

“In the meantime, Rex, you and Sabine take this one and lock him up somewhere. We can’t risk him roaming around until we know the truth.”

 

Not-Rex roughly grabbed Cody’s arm, tugging him forward. “C’mon. We’ll lock him in with the cargo.”

 

-

 

“Tatooine’s not far from where we are now,” Hera said. “But why are we going there?”

 

“That’s where Master Kenobi is,” Ezra said. 

 

Hera was surprised, but said nothing. She didn’t need to badger Ezra over this.

 

“Oh, and Hera?” Ezra began. “We have a guest. Kanan’s pretty nervous about him, so maybe you can help?”

 

“How do we have a guest?” Hera asked.

 

“Force thing. It’s a clone. From the old days.”

 

“A clone?” Hera asked, concerned. She hadn’t heard any blaster fire, but surely that couldn’t be a good thing.

 

“Not from our time!” Ezra reassured her. “He’s from the actual Clone Wars.”

 

“Are you certain, Ezra?” Hera asked. “How could that happen?”

 

“I don’t know! But I know I’m right.” Ezra said.

 

“I assume that’s why we’re going to find Master Kenobi?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“All right.” Hera said, and began punching in the coordinates.

 

-

 

Luke Skywalker was enjoying a rare day off when he saw a ship come down near the spaceport. It wasn’t the nicest ship, but something about it gave off a different vibe than the ships that usually came to Tatooine. Luke wanted to see it. Luke bid a quick ‘see you later’ to his friends, and began to head toward the port.

 

“Where is he, Ezra?” Luke overheard a human with a mask on say. Normally, it would be dangerous to be blind on Tatooine, but something said the stranger was more capable than he looked.

 

“I don’t know. I met him in the sands somewhere around here.”

Luke made his way over to the small group at those words.

 

“I think I know who you mean. Not many would go wandering in the sands. I live near him. I can show you the way.”

 

The group peered at him suspiciously but shortly the blind man spoke.

 

“Alright. Show us.”

 

“You’ll need a landspeeder. You can rent one not far from here.”

 

“Oh, there’s the catch.” A Lasat muttered, probably thinking Luke couldn’t hear them. He didn’t mind. It was a true statement that they would need a speeder, and his couldn’t carry them all.

 

He led them to Old Lady Narru who sold and rented speeders, and wheedled with her to let the group rent one.

 

After that, they began their trek into the desert.

 

-

 

“So why did you want to visit Kenobi anyway?” Luke asked the blind man sitting next to him. “You friends of his?” But it was the old man in the back seat who answered.

 

“Yeah. Yeah we are.” Luke wondered at the man’s almost awed tone, but said nothing about it.

 

“I didn’t know he had any friends, really. He doesn’t get a lot of visitors that I see.” What Luke didn’t say was that these guys were the first visitors he’d ever seen be interested in Old Ben.

 

The old man flinched just so slightly at that.

 

“It’s been a while since we were in contact,” the old man said. “But we go way back. Knew each other around the time of the War.” Luke knew immediately which war was meant. With older people, it was always the Clone War.

 

They fell silent for the rest of the trip, until they arrived not far from Ben’s hut.

 

“It’s weird that he lives out here.” Luke commented. “You should tell him it’s not safe. Though I guess he’s been living out here this long, so maybe he knows something I don’t.”

 

“Not safe?” The blind man said, suddenly wary, while the old man got out of the speeder and headed for the door of the hut.

 

“There’s all kinds of animals that roam this area. Womp rats, even krayt dragons have been spotted around here.”

 

“Oh. Well if he’s been living here this long, I’m sure he can take care of it.”

 

As they were speaking, Rex approached the door. As his hand moved to knock, he realized it was shaking. He’d thought General Kenobi dead for so long, and even though he’d have quietly preferred his General, the thought that Kenobi had survived was amazing. He was so grateful to know this, at least.

 

As the door opened, Rex saw Obi-Wan again for the first time in a decade and a half, and he got the pleasure of seeing a look of total shock come over his face when he did.

 

“Rex.” Obi-Wan murmured. “It’s good to see you again.”

 

There was a clattering from behind the door as Obi-Wan moved in and hugged Rex tightly. Rex hugged back, glad to have this moment with someone he’d thought long dead.

 

After a moment, Rex stepped back.

 

“Come in.” Obi-Wan said. “I’m sure we’ve a lot to talk about.”

 

As they entered, Rex took a quick look behind the door, seeing a lightsaber on the floor. Obi-Wan must have been hovering it just out of sight until he saw Rex. Rex took in a breath. That was a good indicator that maybe not-Cody had been telling the truth. General Kenobi didn’t have two lightsabers, after all.

 

Obi-Wan peered outside for a minute, his expression going soft when he saw the boy who had led them here.

 

“Hello, young Luke,” Obi-Wan said. “Did you bring my friends here?”

 

The boy startled at being addressed.

 

“Oh. Yeah I did. I figured they could use some help. You’re not easy to find out here.” Obi-Wan chuckled at that.

 

“Thank you for that. Would you like to come in, have a drink? It’s a good ways back to your aunt and uncle.”

 

“Yeah! Thanks, Ben.”

 

Rex mouthed ‘Ben?’ at Obi-Wan because really, Ben Kenobi was his fake name? But he really did it because he didn’t understand why they were letting the neighbor kid come along.

 

As the group entered, Obi-Wan sat them down around the main area of his hut, and gestured for Rex to come with him.

 

“We’ll get the water ready.”

 

As they crossed to the other side of the room, Obi-Wan lowered his voice.

 

“Is there danger here?”

 

“No. The Empire should have no idea that you’re here. At least, they won’t learn it from us,” Rex replied, as they put cups of water on trays.

 

“Good.” Rex was preparing to ask about the boy, when Obi-Wan turned and began bringing the water back, and Rex had no choice but to follow.

 

“Introductions to Luke, everyone?” Obi-Wan prompted as they returned. “Rex, why don’t you begin?”

 

Rex raised his hand.

 

Around the table everyone went, introducing themselves to the neighbor kid, until finally it was the kid’s turn.

 

“Hello. Nice to meet everyone. I’m Luke Skywalker.” And then Rex understood why the kid was here. He met Obi-Wan’s eyes for the briefest of seconds before Obi-Wan turned away.

 

“Luke,” Obi-Wan began. “Rex and I knew each other during the war. We also knew your parents around that time.”

 

Luke’s eyes went wide.

 

“Wait, Ben! You knew my parents?” Rex closed his eyes tightly at the use of past tense.

 

“I did. Your father I knew better than your mother. We fought together, in the war, though we’d known each other for a long time before that.”

 

“You fought in the Clone Wars?” Luke asked.

 

“I did. I was once a Jedi Knight, the same as your father.” The room had gone silent, no one interrupting the moment between the two.

 

“I wish I’d known him.” At the confirmation of his General’s death, Rex stayed strong. He had long assumed the worst, and he wouldn’t break today. Not in front of his General’s son.

 

“He was the best starpilot in the Galaxy. And he was a cunning warrior.” Obi-Wan paused for a moment. “And he was a good friend.” The room stayed silent until Luke spoke again.

 

“How did my father die?”

 

Obi-Wan glanced to the side, to Rex, and sighed.

 

“That’s a story for another time, if you don’t mind, young Luke.” Luke, seeming to pick up on the pain in Obi-Wan’s voice, simply nodded.

 

“Well, Rex. What did you need from an old man like me?” Obi-Wan asked. Rex scoffed at him.

 

“You’re hardly old, sir. I’m the old one.” Rex replied. Obi-Wan’s eyes grew distant for a moment, and Rex gently touched his shoulder to bring him back.

 

“But regardless. What brings you here?” Obi-Wan asked.

 

“We have someone we think you should see.” Obi-Wan frowned.

 

“Another friend?”

 

“I don’t know if you’d consider him a friend anymore.” Kanan said. “But it would be useful if you could come see him anyway. He’s back on our ship.”

 

Obi-Wan acquiesced and they headed back to town.

 

-

 

Cody was close to growling in frustration when the door to the cargo bay opened. Kanan edged inside, a blaster pointed in Cody’s direction. An older man followed him inside, and, as his eyes adjusted to the light, they went wide. He staggered forward, dropping to his knees in front of Cody and reaching out as if to touch him.

 

“Cody…” he murmured, and Cody knew that voice.

 

“General?” Cody’s eyes were wide now as well, and his voice was shaking. This couldn’t be possible. But he couldn’t deny the evidence in front of his face.

 

“How is this possible?” Obi-Wan spoke softly. Maybe-Rex came inside the room at his words, an expression of disbelief on his face. He stumbled forward, reaching around Cody in a simultaneous hug and an effort to release Cody from his binders.

 

Cody was starting to get a bad feeling from these reactions. It wasn’t that he had been unaware of his own mortality, but the thought of leaving behind the people who cared about him was harder in the actual face of their loss.

 

“There was some kind of Force device, General. You told me to bag it. Before I could do so, I arrived here.” Cody went into ‘report-mode,’ unsure how to act in this situation.

 

“When was this?”

 

As Cody stated the date, Obi-Wan’s brow furrowed.

 

“I don’t recall retrieving any relics that date. Something must have happened differently in your timeline. Well, regardless, we must figure out what to do now.”

 

“Can you get me back to my time?” Cody asked, trying to keep the edge of desperation out of his voice. He very much did not want to stay here and leave all his brothers and General from his actual time behind.

 

“I don’t know, Cody. But I will certainly try.”

 

-

 

Rex found his hands shaking as he stood outside his room. Cody was going to be rooming with him until they found somewhere to put him or got him back to his own time. The thought of bunking with his brother- this brother in particular- was setting him ill at ease. He knew the night would be rough, the reminders of the war so close by, and he wasn’t ready for it.

 

He took a deep breath and opened the door to see Cody- so young! Had he ever been that young?- sitting on the floor, his armor by his side. Rex quietly settled down next to him, cursing old joints that wouldn’t thank him for sitting on the floor, but not caring overmuch at the thought of sitting beside one of the brothers he’d known best.

 

“Hey, vod,” Rex greeted. Cody looked down at Rex’s still shaking hands, and reached over, pulling Rex into a hug. Cody’s embraces were rare, and Rex was surprised at this one, but he supposed he shouldn’t be. Cody knew him well enough to be able to tell when Rex wasn’t okay.

 

Rex was surprised when he realized he was sobbing. He hadn’t even noticed the tears start to fall.

 

After a long moment in his brother’s arms, Rex calmed himself and sat back. He patted Cody’s back as he pulled away.

 

“It’s good to see you, Cody.” Cody’s solemn expression didn’t change.

 

“I’m sorry, Rex. I never meant to leave you behind.” Rex startled.

 

“What do you mean?” How could he know?

 

“Come on, vod. The way you and the General reacted to me? I must have marched far away at some point, probably a while ago judging from those reactions.”

 

“I…” it would kill Rex to lie about this. “I haven’t seen you in a long time.” It was a lie by omission, one he didn’t really want to tell, but what else was he supposed to say?

 

-

 

Obi-Wan Kenobi was in shock. Also a bit uncomfortable. He’d not been around this many people in a long time. And for one of those people to be Cody… it was almost unbearable, the joy he felt in that moment. He’d thought he would never see Cody again, not after everything that had happened.

 

It hadn’t taken long to realize the truth about the chips, not after Cody and the men attacked him. He knew they would never do such a thing of their own volition. Shortly after arriving on Tatooine, on going over everything in his head over and over again, wondering where he’d gone wrong, he’d remembered Fives’ warning.

 

Obi-Wan often cursed himself internally for neglecting the warning that had killed Fives. If he’d only paid attention, so many things would be different. But the past was the past, and he’d made his peace with things as best he could.

 

But now Cody was here, and alive, and in control of his own mind. Obi-Wan didn’t even know if his version of Cody was still alive. He wasn’t even sure whether or not he wanted that to be the case. The thought of Cody dead pierced his very soul. He’d lost so many over the years. Qui-Gon, Satine, Anakin. To add another to the list hurt deeply.

 

It was best to accept he had permanently lost Cody the minute the chips activated. If Cody was dead, at least he wasn’t suffering being made to do things he’d never want to do.

 

Or at least, he had thought he had lost Cody permanently. Until today. A selfish part of Obi-Wan wanted to throw the time travel device into deep space, so it could never take Cody away, and they could stay together. But he’d never been one to act on his selfish urges, and he would stay and study the device to see if Cody could go back, and maybe even change things for the better.

 

But if he couldn’t, if the timelines wouldn’t stand for such a change… Obi-Wan had to privately admit it wouldn’t be the worst thing to ever happen to him. Not when it meant he had Cody back by his side.

 

-

 

Obi-Wan sighed heavily, staring down at the paperwork in front of him. It had been weeks since Cody had disappeared and there were no signs of him. It was time to officially declare him killed in action. It really should have been done before this, but Obi-Wan had been unwilling to file the forms.

 

Obi-Wan buried his face in his hands. Losing Cody had been… very difficult. The moment Boil had told him that Cody disappeared in the explosion, fear had started racing through his veins. He relied on Cody. Cody’s presence had been a constant since the start of this horrible war, and while of course Obi-Wan had known something like this could happen, he hadn’t expected it now. The Separatists were supposed to have retreated, it was supposed to have been safe.

 

The sheer extent of his grief had been unexpected.  Obi-Wan had known it would hurt to lose Cody, but not this much. It was almost fitting, Obi-Wan thought, that he’d also lost his lightsaber that battle. His life had certainly been disrupted quite a bit by Cody’s death.

 

Before Obi-Wan could even get started on the paperwork, he received a message on his comm. There was to be an emergency Council meeting. He wondered what this one was about. There had been many during the war already.

 

He settled down in his desk chair and turned his channel to the Council’s. Around the room, everyone else was already there. Obi-Wan greeted them all, and noticed a few wary glances toward him from the others. Then Mace began to speak.

 

“As you know, it has been four weeks since Commander Cody went missing.” He paused, and Obi-Wan began to speak.

 

“I know. I was just beginning to fill out his death certificate.” Before Obi-Wan could finish his explanation, a pinched look came across Mace’s face.

 

“That’s not quite what we wanted to talk about. In the ruins, as the last searchers were leaving, a man appeared out of thin air, with a strange relic beside him.”

 

Obi-Wan frowned.

 

“Who is he? What information do we have on him?” A few more glances around the room were shared.

 

“Supposedly, and by his Force presence and DNA scans taken of him...he’s you, Obi-Wan.”

 

-

 

After that ground-shattering revelation was dropped, Mace walked forward and opened the doors to the Council Chamber, revealing a man who, from Obi-Wan’s initial visual scan, did look quite a bit like him, although older. The other Council members appeared to be watching the newcomer quite intently as well, indicating to Obi-Wan that they had not yet gotten a chance to see the man either.

 

The older Obi-Wan smiled genially at the group, though there was a clear ghost of despair in his eyes, and he seemed ill at ease facing them all. Mace settled back into his seat and spoke.

 

“All our tests seem to confirm that you are Master Kenobi.”

 

“Yes.” The older man nodded. “Though for convenience, you may call me Ben.” He chuckled. “I imagine it would get quite confusing any other way.”

 

“How are you here?” Kit asked.

 

“There was a device. We believed it to be secure so long as it was not touched, but evidently that was not the case.”

 

“Where did this device come from?”

 

“Cody brought it to us.” Obi-Wan’s head snapped towards Ben at those words. How could his version of Cody still be alive? Unless he meant…

 

“You mean that Commander Cody is in the future?” Obi-Wan asked, heart racing. If Cody was still alive… if he was still alive, even in some form, even a timeline apart, it meant everything to Obi-Wan. Just knowing his Cody wasn’t dead was enough for now, though he knew, sooner or later, he’d yearn to have Cody back at his side. But until that time passed, all Obi-Wan could feel was relief.

 

“Yes. Something… diverged in our timelines.” Ben frowned. “I do not recall the mission Cody disappeared on as happening at all. I certainly do not recall Cody disappearing for this stretch of time during the war. Yet, somehow, a version of Cody appeared in my time, with the device.”

 

“What happened after he arrived?” Mace asked. Obi-Wan was still focused on Ben’s words, but internally, he was so relieved. Cody was alive, even if he was apparently sometime in the future. He was alive.

 

“Cody appeared on a ship known as the Ghost. The version of Captain Rex from my time happened to be on this ship. The Ghost crew were able to contact me, and I arrived to confirm that it was indeed Cody, because, as I’m sure you can imagine, we were rather suspicious of who he was at first. In the weeks after, we attempted to figure out a way to return Cody to this time, but we were unable to. Finally, I attempted to scan the device in the Force, which is when it sent me to this time.”

 

“I see. Well, certainly we will do our best to return everyone to their proper times. Though, if the archivists of our future were unable to figure it out, I’m not sure how much luck we will have.” Mace spoke. Ben’s face grew pinched.

 

“I have faith in their abilities nonetheless.”

 

-

 

After the Council meeting, Mace met up with Ben. He had a question to ask him, but he hadn’t wanted to discuss it in front of everyone.

 

“Ben.” Mace greeted. “Would you come to my quarters for tea? It will be a bit before we can arrange temporary rooms for you after all.” Ben acquiesced with a nod of his head, and they made their way to the living areas of the Temple.

 

As they walked, Mace noticed Ben looking around with a dull sense of longing, and his suspicions grew. They entered his rooms, and Mace began to make the tea, and they spoke of nothing in the meantime.

 

Finally, as the teacups were settled on the table, Mace spoke.

 

“How long has it been since you were in the Temple?”

 

Ben paused for a moment.

 

“Nearly twenty years. I won’t give a more specific answer than that. Wouldn’t want to give too much away, after all. Not until I know.”

 

“Know what?”

 

“That we can change it.”

 

“I presume you mean whatever prevented you from returning.”

 

“Yes, of course. How did you know, if I may ask?”

 

“You have not stopped staring around since you arrived. A little shock at seeing everyone so much younger, I could understand. But I know you Obi-Wan. You are not the type to simply stop and stare when something unexpected happens. You’re not reminiscing. You’re planning.” Ben smiled wryly.

 

“It’s been a long time since someone pinned me so accurately, Mace. It’s nice to hear it again.”

 

“Why? Why has it been so long? You said Rex contacted you. So you must have been able to speak to him earlier, but you didn’t.”

 

“No, actually, I said the Ghost crew contacted me. It was not Rex who did so. Until Ezra told him otherwise, Rex believed me to be dead. So did everyone else. It was for the better that way.”

 

“How could that make anything better, Ben?”

 

“I would only have put them in danger had I helped. They were enough of a target already. Having a known Jedi on their side would only have made that worse. Besides, I had other duties.”

 

“You are being frustratingly vague, you know.”

 

“Haven’t I always?”

 

Mace smiled, though internally he noted that Ben’s voice was growing scratchy, a condition that, he assumed, was due to a lack of use. How few people had Ben been talking to that his throat grew sore after so little talking?

 

“Yes, you have. Because you like to solve problems on your own. You think you’re a burden otherwise. But I don’t believe this is something you can fix alone.” Ben stayed quiet for a long time.

 

“As I said, Mace. It’s good to speak to you again.”

 

-

 

The device was turned over to the archivists. It was another two weeks before they finally determined a way to reverse what had been done. In the meantime, Ben briefed the Council on what had happened, hoping against hope that he could mitigate the damage.

 

Eventually, the moment to return to his own time came. He tried not to mourn it too badly. If all went well, he would not be returning to a Rebellion, but to a Republic at peace, and to friends and family at his side once more. But it if went poorly… he worried he may never see many of those around him again. At least he was able to say goodbye to those he saw in this time. He hadn’t gotten a chance to resolve things with Cody before arriving in this time, and if things went wrong, he never would.

 

He put those thoughts aside. He needed to prepare for this moment, not dwell on the past, despite the current circumstances.

 

Jocasta Nu instructed him to place his hand on the device, and as he did, everything disappeared.

 

-

 

When Ben opened his eyes, there was nothing. Just white surrounding him. And then, there was Cody. Cody met his eyes, and helped him stand from the faux-ground he was lying on.

 

“Ben?” Cody began. It had taken nearly all four weeks they’d spent together to convince Cody to call him by his name, not his former title. But here, he no longer hesitated.

 

“Cody. I don’t know what’s happening. Where are we?”

 

“I don’t know. The device began to hum and emit a glow. Kanan said he thought I should grab it. Force business, I suppose. I did, and now… this. What happened?”

 

“I was in your time. The Jedi archivists were able to return us to our own times.”

 

“Ah. I see.” Cody spoke, relief and disappointment warring in his voice. “I can’t say I’m not pleased at the prospect.”

 

“But? Cody, you know you can always speak freely to me.”

 

“I do think I’ll miss this you. This Rex. Even the Ghost crew.”

 

“I know. I’ll miss you as well.” Ben said. “But you are needed in your own time. You’re needed to fix things. And your Obi-Wan needs you as well.” He wasn’t sure he could voice the reason why.

 

“Yes, I suppose that’s true.” Cody looked down as he said it. “Is there anything he may also need? Something he may not know yet? You know it’s my job to do what you need.”

 

“I didn’t tell them about Anakin. Couldn’t tell them. If you think you can avoid it, don’t tell the Council. Some on it may not react well to the news. But please do tell my past self. It’s a burden I tried to take from you, but I was never alone with him. You may be.” Ben hesitated. “And if you could help him with a particular situation, I would be very grateful. Satine. She died. I would have preferred that not happen. Don’t let him go alone to save her. Or don’t let him be alone afterwards. I was not in a good mind set then and he won’t be either.”

 

“You loved her.” Cody couldn’t quite look at Ben as he said it, so he was surprised when fingers gripped his chin and he was pulled in for a kiss.

 

“I loved you too. Then and now. I ask you this because I want less deaths in your timeline if possible. Hers was simply the last preventable death I hadn’t told you about. But I do love you. And I did then too.” It was hard, even now, to vocalize the words. But he would not send Cody back without the chance to hear them. He wanted him to hear them, at least once. He wanted to say them at least once. More times, if he could.

 

Cody smiled and pulled him into a kiss. They stayed that way for a long moment, until Cody opened his eyes and found himself standing in a field of relics, alone once again.

 

Except he wasn’t alone, because then Rex rushed up to him, and pulled him into a tight hug, and General Skywalker stood behind them, smiling wide.

 

“Well. Obi-Wan will certainly be pleased. Come on, Commander. Let’s get you home.”


End file.
